On Biggs’ idea of “backwash from assessment”:
Typically students are not very aware of LOs, but they tend to be very focused on Assessment Tasks (ATs, which determine if they will pass the course).
Check out this article about “backwash from assessment”:
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11251-005-3002-8#page-1
Students DO change their behaviors to help them achieve the ATs, so if the ATs are aligned with the LOs, then students will automatically guide themselves toward achievement of the LOs (which is what the teacher hopes)!